Sign representation device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for displaying letters, numbers or symbols, especially for marking the prices of goods, with displaceable movable members arranged in a basic body. In order to provide an apparatus of the kind mentioned above which is small and versatile and allows displaying letters, numbers and symbols without requiring a store of the various characters and without requiring any complex puzzle-like composition of the letters, numbers or symbols in order to produce the desired information, it is provided that the movable members ( 3 ) are held in the opening ( 2 ) by means of a sliding seat or a loose fit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Austrian ApplicationNo. A 1740/99 filed Oct. 15, 1999. Applicant also claims priority under35 U.S.C. §365 of PCT/AT00/00260 filed Oct. 5, 2000. The internationalapplication under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying letters,numbers or symbols, as well as an apparatus for setting said apparatus.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The attachment of letterings such as prices, descriptions, notes,technical specifications or the like to merchandise is of particularimportance nowadays. Consumers are becoming more and more demanding andwish to be informed as precisely as possible about the products thatthey wish to purchase. Thus it is important for the consumer to obtaininformation for example about the exact price, the material and thetechnical data of the product on the one hand, and it offers the vendoror seller of the products the advantage on the other hand that theconsumer feels well-informed for the moment without any additionaladvice having to be given.

It is therefore certainly common practice all over the world to providethe exhibited goods in a shop display or sales locations with price tagsor other kinds of lettering. The consumer can thus determine in a verysimple manner in passing whether the price/performance ratio concerningspecific merchandise is grounds for purchasing the article or not.

The apparatuses generally used for displaying the price are usuallysmall rails in which individual letters or numbers printed on smallplates are inserted.

It is further also common practice to print price labels on paper and toattach the same to film disposed on the merchandise.

Small plastic cubes are also used where each cube contains a number, aletter or a symbol (currency symbol) and in this way the variousdifferent prices or other data can be composed.

The disadvantage of these apparatuses according to the state of the artis that the vendor of the goods who wishes to mark the same with pricesor other data needs to go to the respective goods with a storage box ofletters, numbers or symbols in order to compose the various priceslaboriously from the individual parts. There is a high likelihood that anumber of the individual parts have already been lost or that especiallythe number or letter which is necessary for the price or desired text tobe composed is not present because all of these numbers/letters havealready been used for other goods. Generally it can be said that thevendor must always ensure that a sufficient number of individual blockswith letters, numbers or symbols are available, as otherwise a markingof the goods with the desired price or text is not possible.

The use of printed price or information labels has the disadvantage thatthey need to be printed first, must then be transported to therespective goods and must be inserted there in a sleeve. If the pricelabeling is wrong, the wrong label can only be replaced after a renewedprintout of the label, which might possibly occur at a differentlocation. An additional factor is that any change in the price requiresthe discarding of the old price tag.

From U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,110 an apparatus is known in which openings aredisposed in a matrix-like manner in a base part, with movable membersbeing held displaceably in said openings, with each movable member beingdisplaceable from a first position in which a face side of the movablemember is visible from a visible surface of the base part to a secondposition in which said face surface is substantially disposed in anon-visible way. Magnetic balls are used as movable members which can beconveyed by another magnet to the visible position. In order to arrestthe balls in the visible position, additional holding means are disposedon the base part such as magnetic rails or edges or lips which projectinto the opening, which edges or lips act upon the ball and arrest thesame in its position. In order to release this catch it is thennecessary to press against the ball by means of a pin-like object forexample in order to release the same from the catch. It is usuallysufficient, however, to strongly shake the base part in order to movethe balls again to their non-visible positions. The disadvantage in theapparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,110 A is the fact that theintroduction of the balls into the openings is relatively difficult dueto the edges and lips which close off said openings. Moreover, theseedges and lips are worn off relatively quickly, so that the arresting ofthe balls in their visible positions is no longer possible.

Apparatuses are further known from DE 1 623 800 A, GB 990 094 A, FR 1465 490 or GB 2 317 490 A which work according to the same principle asU.S. Pat. No. 3,724,110. In these cases the actuation of the movablemembers occurs by means of current or a fluid. The use as a displaymeans for price labels for example is thus not possible or only withinlimits because the drive system of the movable members impose limitsconcerning the miniaturization of such a display apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide anapparatus of the kind mentioned above which is small and handy andallows displaying letters, numbers and symbols without requiring a storeof different characters and without requiring any inconvenientpuzzle-like composition of the letters, numbers or symbols for producingthe desired information. It is a further object of the present inventionto provide an apparatus of the kind mentioned above which makes dowithout using fluids and/or current for moving the movable members andwhich allows at the same time arresting the movable members in theopenings without any additional auxiliary means.

This is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

The provision of a loose fit and a sliding seat between opening andmovable member allows on the one hand the simple displacement of themovable members in the opening. On the other hand, the movable member isimmediately fixed in its momentary position after the release.Additional edges or lips which also require additional productionefforts are not necessary.

The features of claims 3 to 4 allow displaying a large variety ofcharacters with a fixed predetermined number of openings per character.These features also allow displaying characters of every language, i.e.any desired font and also special characters without having to exchangethe apparatus per se.

As a result of the feature of claim 5 it is not necessary to build theindividual characters by displacing several movable members, but thedisplacement of one single member is sufficient in order to make thecharacter visible for the viewer. This variant for a solution isparticularly suitable for characters that need to be changed or adjustedonly rarely.

The features of claim 6 allow displaying any desired character,preferably also the known seven-segment displays, as are used in LCDdisplays for example.

The feature of claim 7 allows fastening additional information in thegroove which is printed on a piece of paper, cardboard or plastic.

The feature of claim 8 allows fastening the apparatus in accordance withthe invention by means of at least one pin on the respective ware.

The feature of claim 9 allows fastening other different fixing elementsto the apparatus in accordance with the invention. In this way theapparatus can be fastened flexibly to the respective ware.

The feature of claim 10 prevents that the movable members can be pushedout of the openings during improper displacement and setting of thecharacters.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatusfor displacing movable members in a base part (1).

This is enabled in accordance with the invention by the characterizingfeatures of claims 11 to 19.

The features of claim 11 allow in a simple manner to bring the movableelements to an arrangement corresponding to the character to bedisplayed. By compressing the holding elements, the pin-like elementsengage successively in the openings of the apparatus for displaying thecharacters and thus displace the movable members to a defined startingposition and then to a position corresponding to the character to bedisplayed.

The feature of claim 16 allows choosing the characters to be displayedfrom a template of characters to be displayed.

The features of claim 13 describe a preferred embodiment of the settingapparatus.

The features of claim 14 allow an easy ejection of the apparatus inaccordance with the invention from the setting chamber.

The features of claim 19 describe an alternative embodiment of a settingapparatus in accordance with the invention which is characterized byfewer individual parts.

The alternative ejection mechanism according to the claims 15 to 19allow the braked ejection of the base part of the price label as well asa straight-lined insertion of the same into the setting chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to theenclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters in a front view;

FIG. 2 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters in a sectional view along the line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters with stop strips in the openings;

FIG. 4 shows an alternative apparatus in accordance with the inventionfor displaying characters with the movable members in a non-visibleposition;

FIG. 5 shows an alternative apparatus in accordance with the inventionfor displaying characters with the movable members in a non-visibleposition;

FIG. 6 shows an alternative apparatus in accordance with the inventionfor displaying characters with the movable members in a non-visibleposition;

FIG. 7 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters with inserted piece of paper;

FIG. 8 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters with a pin which is pierced through;

FIG. 9 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters with a holding element;

FIG. 10 shows an alternative form and arrangement of the openings in thebase part of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 11 shows a further alternative form and arrangement of the openingsin the base part of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 11 a shows a sectional view along the line BB of FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of an apparatus inaccordance with the invention for setting the desired characters in theidle position along the line of intersection CC of FIG. 16;

FIG. 13 shows a sectional view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention in the calibrating position along the line of intersection CCof FIG. 16;

FIG. 14 shows a sectional view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention in the setting position along the line of intersection CC ofFIG. 16;

FIG. 15 shows a sectional view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention for setting the apparatus for displaying characters along theline of intersection DD of FIG. 16;

FIG. 16 shows a top view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention for setting the apparatus for displaying characters;

FIG. 16 a shows a top view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention for setting the apparatus for displaying characters with adisplay element;

FIG. 17 shows a sectional view of an apparatus in accordance with theinvention along the line of intersection CC of FIG. 16 for performingthe method in accordance with the invention without an apparatus fordisplaying characters;

FIG. 18 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of an apparatus inaccordance with the invention for setting the desired character in theidle position along the line of intersection CC of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 shows a sectional view as shown in FIG. 18, but in thecalibrating position of the setting apparatus;

FIG. 20 shows a sectional view as in FIGS. 18 and 20, but in the settingposition of the setting apparatus;

FIG. 21 shows a sectional view along the line EE of FIG. 17 with analternative ejection mechanism of the setting chamber in the idleposition;

FIG. 21 a shows a sectional view along the line EE of FIG. 17 with analternative ejection mechanism of the setting chamber in the idleposition in a detailed view;

FIG. 22 shows a sectional view along the line EE of FIG. 17 with analternative ejection mechanism in the latched position in a detailedview;

FIG. 23 shows a sectional view along the line EE of FIG. 17 with analternative ejection mechanism and partly inserted or ejected apparatusfor displaying characters in a detailed view;

FIG. 24 shows a detailed sectional view of the setting chamber along theline CC of FIG. 16 after the calibration of the apparatus for displayingcharacters;

FIG. 25 shows a detailed sectional view of the setting chamber along theline CC of FIG. 16 during the setting of the characters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention fordisplaying characters in a front view. Several openings 2 are providedin a basic body 1. The openings are arranged as bores. The arrangementis made in the present example in the form of a matrix. Any desiredcharacter (even special characters) can be represented very easily inthis way.

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus in accordance with the invention in asectional view. The movable members 3, which are arranged displaceablyalong the bores 2, can be recognized clearly. The movable members 3 arefitted into the openings 2 by means of a sliding seat (loose fit), sothat any unintentional falling of the movable members 3 out of theopenings 2 is not possible. The movable members 3 and the basic body 1can be provided with different colors.

The effect in accordance with the invention also occurs when the movablemembers 3 and the basic body 1 are of the same color (with the exceptionof the color black), because the movable members 3 which are pushed intothe basic body 1 do not remain visible even in the case of identicalcolors (with the exception of the color black) and therefore give theimpression of a dark lettering.

A viewer who is situated in front of the apparatus in accordance withthe invention and looks in the direction of arrow 4 sees the basic part1 and all movable members 3 since their face sides 5 are flush with thesurface of the basic part 1. Assuming that in the present example allface surfaces 5 of the movable members 3 are flush with the surfacefacing the viewer, the viewer will see a matrix as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a number of the movable members 3 which are pushedrearwardly in the openings 2 (away from the viewer). Due to theinsertion depth which depends on the diameter of the openings 2 (whichare formed in the present case as bores), no light falls on theserearwardly pushed movable members. They are therefore not visible to theviewer who looks in the viewing direction 4. In this way it is possibleto display any desired character by the combination of visible andnon-visible movable members 3.

As is shown in FIG. 3, the openings 2 (bores) can additionally betapered in their rear end zone which is averted from the viewer. Theconstriction is made to such an extent that the movable elements 3cannot inadvertently be pushed out of the basic part 1, e.g. during thesetting of the characters.

FIG. 4 shows a basic part 1 in which all movable members 3 are pushedrearwardly. The viewer can no longer see the movable members 3 in thiscase. He only sees the basic part 1 or the openings 2. The sliding seatof the movable members 1 in the basic body 3 prevents the movablemembers 3 from falling out of the basic body 1.

FIGS. 5 and 6 each show alternatively arranged basic parts 1 whichproduce a slight inclined position of the apparatus and thus helps theviewer who looks at the apparatus from an oblique view from above toread the set characters. The entire matrix-like arrangement of themovable members is again visible to the viewer in FIG. 5 (FIG. 5 a),whereas in FIG. 6 certain characters are already set or displayed (FIG.6 a).

FIG. 7 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention, with agroove 44 being arranged on basic part 1 in which a piece of paper 6 isinserted. The paper can contain additional information concerning themerchandise thus labeled or any other desired text.

In FIG. 8, the apparatus in accordance with the invention is providedwith at least one additional bore 7 into which a pin 8 is inserted forexample. It is used for fastening the apparatus in accordance with theinvention to the merchandise such as a garment for example.

FIG. 9 shows an alternative form of fastening the apparatus inaccordance with the invention by way of a holder 9 which has beeninserted in an additional opening 10 in basic part 1.

As a result of the additional bores 7 and openings 10, a large number offastening possibilities are possible which can be adjusted to thevarious materials and shapes of the merchandise to be labeled.

The basic parts as described in FIGS. 1 through 9 are all provided withcylindrical openings 2 (bores), with said openings having amatrix-shaped arrangement. The movable members 3 must in this case alsobe provided with a cylindrical shape, with a sliding seat (loose fit)being again provided between the movable members 3 and the respectiveopenings 2 in the basic body 1.

Other forms and arrangements of the openings 2 in the basic part 1 and,obviously, also the movable members 3 are possible.

FIG. 10 shows for example the arrangement of segment-like openings 2 inthe basic part 1. This arrangement and configuration of the openings 2is sufficient for the display of numbers and simple letters. Thefunction is the same as in the matrix-like arrangement of thecylindrical openings 2 with cylindrical movable members 3.

FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of a symbol-shaped opening 2 in a basicpart 1. The arrangement of the entire opening 2 can have the same shapeas the symbol. In this case the associated movable member must beprovided with the shape of the symbol. The embodiment as shown in FIG.11 a is simpler to manufacture, however. The surface of the basic part 1which is situated in the direction of view 4 of the viewer comprises anopening 2 a which corresponds to the symbol to be displayed. The furtherprogress of the opening 2 is as usual cylindrical or cuboid.Accordingly, the movable member 3 can also be provided with acylindrical or cuboid shape and need not necessarily be adjusted to thecomplex shape of the character (symbol) to be displayed. The function isalso the same as in all other cases.

FIG. 12 shows an apparatus 35 for performing the method for settingcharacters of the apparatus in accordance with the invention accordingto claims 1 through 10.

An upper holding part 11 is connected with a lower holding part 12 via aspring 13 and a lever combination 14 consisting of a lever 15 which isrotatably held on the upper holding part 11 and a lever 16 which isrotatably held on the lower holding part 12. The two levers 15, 16 arealso mutually rotatably connected. At the connection point 17 of the twolevers 15, 16 a spring attacks which is fastened at its lower end in thelower holding part 12. The lower holding part 12 thus forms with theupper holding part 11 from its middle zone a substantially V-shapedelement. The upper holding part 11 further comprises two openings 33, 33a.

The lever combination 14 is thus arranged in such a way that in the caseof a bending stress the same bends out according to a predetermineddirection. This is achieved in the present example in such a way thatthe upper lever 15 is provided with an extension 19 through which anarrangement in true alignment of the two levers 15, 16 with one anotheris prevented. In this way the lever combination 14 can merely bend outin the direction under a bending stress in which the extension 19 isdisposed.

The lower half 12 is further rotatably fastened to pins 20, 20 a (pin 20a is not visible in FIG. 12). The pins 20, 20 a are disposed on twobrackets 21 and 21 a (bracket 21 a is not visible in FIG. 12) which areheld in a vertically displaceable manner in the upper holding part 11.The brackets 21, 21 a are each provided with an opening 32, 32 a.

The upper holding part 11 is further provided in its middle zone with asubstantially U-shaped setting chamber 22 which is upwardly open.Pin-like calibrating elements 23 are disposed in the floor of saidsetting chamber, which calibrating elements are upwardly aligned. Thedimensions of the setting chamber 22 are dimensioned in such a way thatan apparatus in accordance with the invention, as described in claims 1through 9, fits into the space. The openings 32, 32 a of said brackets21, 21 a are aligned in the idle position in such a way that jointlywith the openings 33, 33 a a continuous opening is produced in theapparatus for performing the method for setting characters of theapparatus in accordance with the invention according to claims 1 to 10.The setting chamber is further provided with an ejection mechanism (FIG.15).

Several templates 24 are disposed above the setting chamber 22 in asubstantially U-shaped guide rail 26 in the upper holding part 11adjacent to one another. The templates 24 are displaceable along thelongitudinal axis of the upper holding part 11 and are provided at theirlower side with area separators 28 which divide each template intodifferent, evenly large areas. Every area on its part comprises pin-likesetting elements 25 which are aligned downwardly. The pin-like settingelements 25 correspond precisely to the negative or positive of thecharacter to be displayed. The number of the templates substantiallydepends on the number of characters to be displayed or set. Thus, anapparatus for displaying a three-digit price with cent values andcurrency symbol requires six templates (see FIGS. 5 a, 6 a).

The floor plate 29 of the guide rail 26 is provided with tongue-likeprojections 45 which are provided with a slightly elevated design in azone 27, so that during the displacement of the templates 24 they aresubjected to a slightly increased displacing resistance and allow adefined latching. The length of the elevation corresponds precisely tothe distance of two area separators 28. In this way a displacement inareas and a latching of the templates is possible. One area each,depending on the setting of the operator, is disposed precisely abovethe setting chamber 22 in which the apparatus 30 in accordance with theinvention has been inserted.

FIGS. 16 and 16 a each show a top view of a setting apparatus inaccordance with the invention. One can clearly see the displaceabletemplates 24, by means of which the user can choose the characters to beset by displacing the templates. The momentary setting can be checked bythe user in an inspection window 39.

In a first step the apparatus 30 in accordance with the invention ispushed into the setting chamber 22 of the apparatus 35 (FIG. 12). Thenthe user sets the characters which are to be displayed subsequently bymeans of the movable members 3 and the basic part 1. The upper side ofthe templates 24 is ideally provided with a lettering which shows thecharacter which is disposed in the section of area below. Then thehandle of the lower holding part 12 is pressed against the handle of theupper holding part 11 until a position as shown in FIG. 13 has beenreached.

The lower holding part 12 rotates about a point 31 in FIG. 12, as aresult of which the pins 20, 20 a plus the brackets 21, 21 a movedownwardly. As a result of the forced guidance of the brackets 21, 21 a,the pivot of the lower holding part 12 displaces in the absolute system.The point 31 in FIG. 12 moves to the right.

Upon reaching the position from FIG. 13, the apparatus exerts anincreased resistance against the occurring pincer-like movement becauseon the one hand the spring 13 compresses the two parts with increasedforce and on the other hand the lever combination 14, due to thedisplaced brackets 21, 21 a and the thus changed geometry, is subjectedto buckling and thus blocks any further bringing together of the twoholding parts 11, 12.

The spring 18 acts in this process additionally against the buckling ofthe lever combination 14.

At the same time with the movement of the upper and lower holding parts11, 12 to a position as shown in FIG. 13, the apparatus 30 in accordancewith the invention is pressed by means of brackets 21, 21 a onto thepin-like calibrating elements 23 which are disposed in the settingchamber 22, as a result of which the movable members 3 of the apparatusin accordance with the invention are all aligned substantially flushwith the surface of the basic part 1 of the apparatus in accordance withthe invention.

If the pressure on the upper and lower holding part 11, 12 is furtherincreased despite the increased resistance as is shown in a position asillustrated in FIG. 13, the buckling of the lever combination 14 occursfrom a defined action of force. In this way the entire lower holdingpart 12 displaces upwardly in a substantially parallel manner, becauseon the one hand the spring force of the spring 13 in its one end zone onthe one hand and the force applied by the user in its other end zoneacts in the direction towards the upper holding part 11.

As a result of the sudden, substantially translation upward movement ofthe lower holding part 12, the two brackets 21, 21 a also move upwardlyand thus also thereby move the basic part 1 upwardly, as a result ofwhich the same is pressed against the pin-like setting elements 25 ofthe template 24.

As a result, the movable members 3 in the basic part 1 are aligned insuch a way that the effect in accordance with the invention occurs andthe viewer can read individual characters.

After the release of the two holding parts 11, 12 the apparatus 35returns to its initial position. The brackets 21, 21 a also move totheir initial position, so that the openings 32, 32 a again form acontinuous opening with the openings 33, 33 a.

The ejection mechanism which was initially tensioned by the insertion ofthe apparatus 30 in accordance with the invention into the apparatus 35in the direction of arrow 36 now ejects the apparatus 30 in accordancewith the invention against the direction of insertion (FIGS. 15 a, b, c)after the holding part 12 has been moved to its initial position.

During the insertion of the apparatus 30 into the setting chamber 22, anejection bracket 34 which comprises shoulders 37, 38 and an entrainmentelement 43 is displaced by the entrainment of the entrainment element 43in the insertion direction 36. The lower edge of the ejection bracket 34moves along the floor of the setting chamber 22. A hook-like nose 40 isdisposed there which is arranged in the floor of the setting chamber 22.The shoulder 38 is inclined in such a way that during the movement ofthe ejection bracket 34 along the floor of the setting chamber 22 andparticularly over the nose 40, the ejection bracket 34 is slightlylifted at first and is thus moved with the shoulder 38 over thehook-like nose 40. The ejection bracket 34 is fastened to a spring 41below the floor of the setting chamber 22, so that it will automaticallyreturn to the horizontal position again once it has been moved over thenose 40.

Once the shoulder 38 has been moved over the nose 40, the same latchesbehind said nose 40 by the spring force of spring 41 and the apparatusin accordance with the invention is fixed in its position in the settingchamber. After ending the setting process the ejection bracket 34 islifted again by the vertical movement of the apparatus 30 in accordancewith the invention (which movement is produced by the vertical movementof the brackets 21, 21 a) and the thereby occurring entrainment of theentrainment element 42 and the shoulder 38 is moved over the nose 40, asa result of which the spring 41 brings the ejection bracket 34 back toits initial position again and thus ejects the apparatus 30 inaccordance with the invention.

FIG. 18 shows a further possible embodiment of the apparatus 35 inaccordance with the invention for setting the desired characters. Thetwo levers 15, 16 of the first variant are replaced by a single lever46. It rests with its two end zones on brackets 47, 48 which arearranged on the upper holding part 11 and on the lower holding part 12.The lever 46 is fastened via a spring 18 with the upper holding part 11,and more precisely with a bridge 49 which projects from the lower sideof the setting chamber 22. The bearing of lever 46 is thus provided inan overhung manner, meaning that it is merely held in its position byspring 18 and the clamping between the upper holding part 11 and thelower holding part 12. The lower holding part 12 is provided for thisreason with projections (not shown) which are guided in a groove of theside wall of the upper holding part 11, so that the lower holding part12 is guided on the upper holding part 11. An additional bridge 50 isdisposed on the lower side of the setting chamber 22, on which a support51 rests which is rigidly connected with the lever 46. During theassembly of the apparatus 35 in accordance with the invention forsetting the desired characters, the lever 46 can already be mounted onthe upper holding part 11, even before the lower holding part 12 ismounted on the upper holding part 11.

As has already been described in the preceding embodiment of the settingapparatus 35, the two holding parts 11, 12 are compressed at the handlesections (FIG. 19, FIG. 20), as a result of which the one end zone oflever 46 which rests on the upper holding part 11 slides in thedirection towards the handle sections and both the spring 18 as well asspring 13 are tensioned in this way.

In the setting chamber 22, the brackets 21, 21 a are pushed downwardlyby the pins 20, 20 a as a result of the movement of the lower holdingpart 12. The lower holding part 12 performs at first a rotationalmovement whose center of rotation is situated in the lower end zone ofthe lever 46. As a result, the part of the lower holding element whichis disposed to the left of the center of rotation moves downwardly atfirst, which also includes the pins 20, 20 a as well as the brackets 21,21 a, as a result of which the basic part 1 which is tensioned betweenthe brackets 21, 21 a is pressed against the calibrating elements 23disposed in the setting chamber floor 22 (FIG. 19). In analogy to theembodiment as described above and for the same reasons, the upper endzone of the lever 46 travels in the subsequent section of the movementin the direction towards the handle sections of the upper and lowerholding element 11, 12, through which the lower holding element performsan upwardly directed, substantially translational movement (FIG. 21) andthe brackets are again moved upwardly by the pins 20, 20 a, as a resultof which subsequently the basic part 1 is pressed against the pin-likesetting elements which are disposed on the templates 24 and the movablemembers 3 are displaced accordingly. The lower holding part 12 rests inthis process with an edge 58 on the upper holding part 11.

The last described variant comes with the advantage that the levercombination 14 of the first variant can be replaced by a single lever.

FIG. 21 shows an alternative embodiment of an ejection mechanism of thesetting chamber 22 in the idle position, i.e. without the inserted basicpart 1. The pin-like calibrating elements 23 which project upwardly fromthe floor of the setting chamber 22 as well as the spring tongues 45 canbe recognized very will in this illustration. In the illustrated idleposition the ejection bracket 34 is pressed by the tension spring 41against the floor of the setting chamber and against a stop 52 in thedirection towards the insertion or ejection opening 32 a, 33 a. Theejection bracket 34 is further provided with an entrainment element 43which can be brought into engagement with the face side of the basicpart 1 of the price label 30. As a result of the insertion movement inthe direction of arrow 36, the ejection bracket 34 is also moved via theentrainment element 43 in the direction 36 (FIG. 22). A hook 53 disposedon the ejection bracket 34 latches into a bridge 54 disposed on the wallof the setting chamber.

After completing the setting process as described above, the ejectionbracket 34 is lifted by the vertical movement of the basic part 1 of theprice label 30 (produced by the vertical movement of the brackets 21, 21a) which is upwardly in engagement with a second entrainment element 42which is also disposed on the ejection bracket 34, as a result of whichthe hook is released from its engagement with the bridge 54.

After completing the setting process, the basic part 1 of the pricelabel 30 moves downwardly again, with a further bridge 55 which islonger than the bridge 54 preventing a renewed latching of the hook 53behind the bridge 54.

Once the setting apparatus is in the initial position again and theopenings 32, 33 and 32 a, 33 a form a single continuous opening again,the ejection bracket 34 moves by spring 41 against the direction ofinsertion 36 until the same impinges on stop 52. As a result of theentrainment element 43, the basic part 1 of the price label 30 followsthis movement and is thus pushed out of the setting chamber. By thebending of the ejection bracket 34 in the direction towards the oppositesetting chamber wall, the basic part 1 of the price label 30 is pressedagainst the opposite setting chamber wall, as a result of which theejection which occurs up to stop 52 is braked and falling out isprevented. The entrainment element 42 extends in this process over theentire length of the ejection bracket 34, as a result of which theinsertion of the basic part 1 of the price label 30 into the settingchamber 22 always occurs in a straight line.

The upper holding part 12 is further provided with a floor 29 with atongue-like end zone 56 (FIG. 12, FIG. 21). The latter can be bentdownwardly, so that the setting template 24 can be pushed betweenbracket 57 and the tongue 56.

1. An apparatus for displaying letters, numbers or symbols, especiallyfor marking the prices of goods, with a basic part having a visiblesurface and a back side opposite the visible surface, with at least oneopening being disposed in the basic part, which opening is open on bothsides and extends from the visible surface up to the opposite back side,and a movable member displaceably held in the at least one opening by asliding seat having a constant cross section over the entire lengththereof and providing a friction fit for the movable member, the movablemember being displaceable from a first position in which a face of themovable member is visible from the visible surface of the basic part toa second position in which said face is disposed in a substantially nonvisible manner at a distance behind the visible surface in the basicpart.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thesliding seat is achieved in such a way that the movable member is bentin an unstressed state at least in one section transversally to thelongitudinal axis thereof and is aligned in a straight manner during theinsertion into the at least one opening of the basic part.
 3. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least oneopening and the moveable member have a circular cross section.
 4. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least oneopening is arranged in a matrix.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the at least one opening has the shape of letters,numbers or symbols.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterizedin that the at least one opening has a polygonal cross section.
 7. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the basic part isprovided at its surface with a rail-like groove.
 8. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the basic part is providedwith at least one additional continuous bore through which a pin can beinserted.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe basic part is provided with at least one additional opening intowhich a fixing element can be inserted.
 10. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the at least one opening has a stopbracket at the back side opposite of the visible surface.
 11. Anapparatus for displacing movable members in openings of a base part,with the movable members each being displaceable from a first positionin which a face of the movable member is visible from a visible surfaceof the basic part to a second position in which said face issubstantially disposed in a non visible way at a distance behind thevisible surface in the basic part, characterized in that it comprisesthe following parts: an upper holding part; a lower holding part whichin a middle part of the upper holding part is rotatably and displaceablyfastened to the upper holding part, pin-like calibrating elements whichare arranged according to the displaceable movable members, pin-likesetting elements which are arranged according to characters to be set(positive or inverse), with the pin-like calibrating and settingelements being arranged in the upper holding part, and free face sidesof the pin-like calibrating elements being directed against free facesides of the pin-like setting elements, and, by pressing together theupper holding part with the lower holding part, at first the pin-likecalibrating elements and thereafter the pin-like setting elements areintroduced into the openings of the basic part, whereby a desiredalignment of the movable members is performed in the openings of thebasic part.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized inthat the pin-like setting elements which are disposed in the upperholding part are arranged on at least one displaceable setting template.13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that itadditionally comprises the following elements: at least one tensionspring which connects one end zone of the lower holding part which theupper holding part, a lever combination consisting of two leversrotatably connected at a connecting point, with one of the levers beingrotatably fastened to the lower holding part and another one of thelevers being rotatably fastened to the upper holding part, at least onetension spring which acts on the connection point of the two levers andis connected to the lower holding part, a setting chamber having a floorand being disposed in the upper holding part and into which theapparatus can be inserted, with the setting chamber being provided inthe floor with the pin like calibrating elements which can be introducedinto the openings of the basic part, several setting templates which arearranged displaceably next to one another in the upper holding part,with one section each of each setting template being disposableprecisely above the pin-like calibrating elements in the setting chamberand with the pin-like setting elements which are arranged on the settingtemplates projecting into the setting chamber against the direction ofthe pin-like calibrating elements which are arranged on the floor, twobrackets which are provided at least with one opening each and which areconnected with the lower holding part, and are held in a verticallydisplaceable manner in the upper holding part.
 14. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 13, characterized in that an ejection bracket isarranged in the setting chamber, which bracket comprises two entrainmentelements and two inclined shoulders on its lower side, with the ejectionbracket being connected by way of a spring with the floor of the settingchamber, and a hook-like nose being arranged in the floor of the settingchamber which is arranged as a counterpart to one of the shoulders ofthe ejection bracket.
 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13,characterized in that an ejection mechanism is arranged in the settingchamber, which mechanism comprises an ejection bracket which is movablein an insertion direction and which is pressed by a tension springagainst the setting chamber floor and against a slop-in the directiontowards an insertion or ejection opening, and the ejection bracket isprovided with two entrainment elements, with one of the entrainmentelements pretensioning the ejection bracket via the visible surface onthe basic part by means of a hook which can be latched into a bridge andejecting the basic part from the setting chamber by way of the tensionspring.
 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, characterized in thatthe other entrainment element substantially extends over the entirelength of the ejection bracket and can be brought into engagement withthe visible surface of the basic part.
 17. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 16, characterized in that the ejection bracket is arranged on asetting chamber wall extending parallel to the direction of insertion.18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that theejection bracket is bent in a direction towards an opposite settingchamber wall in order to press the basic part with a slight pressureagainst the opposite setting chamber wall in order to brake theejection.
 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in thatit additionally comprises the following elements: at least one tensionspring which connects the one end zone of the lower holding part withthe upper holding part, a lever which is disposed floatingly between theupper holding part and the lower holding part and which rests with itstwo end zones on brackets which are disposed in said holding parts, withthe lever being connected by way of a spring with the upper holdingpart, a setting chamber having a floor and being disposed in the upperholding part and into which the apparatus can be inserted, with thesetting chamber being provided in the floor with the pin-likecalibrating elements which can be introduced into the openings of thebasic part, several setting templates which are arranged displaceablynext to one another in the upper holding part, with one section each ofeach setting template being disposable precisely above the pin likecalibrating elements in the setting chamber and with the pin-likesetting elements which are arranged on the setting templates projectinginto the setting chamber against the direction of the pin-likecalibrating elements which are arranged on the floor, two brackets whichare provided at least with one opening each and which are connected withthe lower holding part by way of pins and are held in a verticallydisplaceable manner in the upper holding part.